1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for refining sprouting beans by removing trash, hulls, small roots and the like attached to or mixed in harvested sprouting beans.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the harvested sprouting beans, there are contained refuse matters of trash or hulls of raw material beans, small or slender roots and the like in approximately 10% by weight. In order to remove these refuse matters of the harvested sprouting beans, there has been used in the prior art an apparatus in which the sprouting beans are immersed in a water tank filled with a large amount of water so that the refuse matters of hulls, trash or the like are settled for removal.
In the prior art apparatus, however, not only a large amount of water is needed but also there is needed a large space for placing a large water tank in a factory. Still larger problems exist such that there occur breaks of the sprouting beans in a washing device as well as the sprouting beans, while in the water, absorb water excessively so that their freshness preservation is compromised greatly.
Thus, the applicant here has heretofore disclosed a sprouting beans refining apparatus wherein, while sprouting beans are placed on a perforated endless belt to be conveyed thereon, said endless belt is vibrated so that refuse matters of hulls, trash and the like are removed from the sprouting beans without water being used (Japanese Patent Application No. Sho 54-25752). This apparatus has been very effective but it has been still insufficient in some aspect in removing the refuse matters completely from the sprouting beans.
In order to solve the problems in the prior art apparatus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sprouting beans refining apparatus constructed in a completely different way from the prior art so as to be able to remove refuse matters from sprouting beans cleanly to a satisfactory extent, wherein not only there is used no water tank but also there is occupied a small space only.
In order to attain said object, the present invention provides a sprouting beans refining apparatus having a vibration frame for supporting an endless flat belt, of which surface is easily wettable by water, inclined so as to make a moving direction thereof upward; a drive unit for driving said endless flat belt toward said moving direction; a vibration generator for giving said frame vibration in a reverse direction of said moving direction of the endless flat belt so that sprouting beans on said endless flat belt are sent toward said reverse direction of the moving direction of the belt; and a scraper disposed opposingly to said endless flat belt for removing attachments to said belt.
The endless flat belt employed in the present invention is preferably a nonperforated endless flat belt but a perforated belt may be also used. Further, the endless flat belt may be used in one stage only but it is preferable to make a construction such that the endless flat belts are arranged in plural stages of two or more in series for obtaining an enhanced refining function. In this case, it will be effective for economy of space if the construction is made such that the endless flat belts are arranged in series in two or more stages in a state of upward and downward directional lamination.
The sprouting beans refining apparatus according to the present invention isconstructed as mentioned above, thereby the sprouting beans supplied onto the endless flat belt are given vibration in the reverse direction of the moving direction of the endless flat belt so as to be sent thereon gradually downwardly along the inclination of the endless flat belt. At this time, due to repetition of springing and progressing on the belt, the sprouting beans may be broken off from their portions of small or slender roots. The roots so broken off or other refuse matters attached to or mixed in the sprouting beans stick to the upper surface of the endless flat belt which is wetted by water on its surface and are transferred upwardly together with movement of the endless flat belt in the reverse direction of the sprouting beans.
The refuse matters attaching to the wetted surface of the endless flat belt and transferred upwardly together with the endless flat belt are scraped off to be discharged by the scraper disposed opposingly to the endless flat belt for removing the attachments to said belt.
The sprouting beans which have come to the lower end of the endless flat belt are collected as final products as they are or are supplied onto the endless flat belt of the next stage to be refined likewise for cleaner sprouting beans.
In the apparatus having plural stages of the endless flat belts, said refining operation of the sprouting beans is repeated at each of the stages so as to enhance the degree of the refinement.